RE: Critiques of The Goodhue Gallery

by "Michael Gerholdt" <gerholdt(at)ait.fredonia.edu>

Date:	Tue, 20 Oct 1998 09:13:32 -0400
To:	"karel vandenhove" <karel(at)artonline.com>, "Craig Harding" <guide(at)ao.net>, "Jeff Whyle" <jeff(at)hawkfan.com>, "Critique List" <hwg-critique(at)mail.hwg.org>
In-Reply-To:	dev1
	todo: View Thread, Original

Folks:

>>This has nothing to do with whether or not it is distracting. The status
>>line area is part of the client browser and therefore not to be used by
>>the web author except as a cheap trick by kids and like.

>Why did browser developers provide (and publish) the ability to manipulate
>the statusbar caption then?

Silliness from start to finish.

The first comment blows its kernel of truth into oblivion by being
overstated to the point of being untrue. There are certainly times when it
is important or better to write to the status bar rather than allow the
browser to do so in default manner. See if you can think of one. The fact
that this can be abused in an annoying fashion doesn't support the initial
claim.

The second comment simply has no merit as an argument. You can get in a car
and drive 90 mph. The fact that manufacturers provide that capability is not
a basis for disobeying posted speed limits or taking stupid risks with one's
life.

The lessons:

1. Philosophical purism adamantly stated rarely stands up to the exceptions
that the real world provides with great ease.

2. Weak arguments aren't adequate against philosophical purism even when the
latter is wrong or broken.

It seems so obvious that there are good reasons at times to write to the
status line - but that it is an often abused and annoying thing when folks
write to the status line - so that we should do so only with consideration
and care.

Doesn't really seem to merit a _thread_.

No offense intended to any party.

pmg

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